LAKE VERMILION- Unorganized Township 63-17 won’t be nameless much longer as residents voted to organize this week.
In a special election held Tuesday, voters chose to incorporate as St. Louis County’s newest township, with 49 residents in favor and 31 opposed. The township, which sits tucked between Beatty and Greenwood townships in the county’s northern tier, has been unorganized territory, overseen by the county, until now.
The move toward organization began a year ago when residents submitted a formal petition asking the county to authorize a special election. Supporters of the change argued that organizing provides more local control– most notably local control over tax dollars and decision-making.
“You are the only people who get to do that in a township,” said Maddie Cash, a representative of the Minnesota Association of Townships who was on hand at a recent informational meeting in the township to answer questions. “It’s why a lot of people move to townships. That often means lower taxes – but either way, it’s your call,” said Cash.
The results are still unofficial for the moment. The county’s canvassing board is scheduled to meet on Monday at10 a.m. at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth certify the vote.
The next step will be for County Auditor Nancy Nilsen to call an organizational meeting. That gathering will give residents a chance to establish their first town board, choose a township name, and officially begin local governance.